The River Maiden
by M M Forever
Summary: Lillian is the exact opposite of her father, Baron Edward, in many regards. But what will she do when on her 18th birthday, she gets the shock of her life? Third Chapter has been posted, and the fourth will follow within the next few weeks. Please read and review! Reviews are the highlight of my day!
1. Prologue

Fairy Tales- The River Maiden

Once upon a time, in a far away land filled with magic, mystery, and mayhem, there lived an important baron and his wife. As important as he was in his heyday, Baron Edward Von Irvine is not the subject of our tale. Nor is his wife, Ann, the subject of our attention. Instead, this story focuses on another member of the family. The baron had two children, a girl and a boy. The eldest was the girl, who was named Lillian, while the younger boy was called Ian. It is Lillian, a short brown-haired child with an immense curiosity for everything around her, who is at the center of our story, and it is with her we shall begin.

Lillian had always been a handful for her father. Not because she was always getting into trouble, but because she was everything her father was not. While he was firm and controlling of his life and the lives of others, Lillian was gentle and let the wind blow her where it will. A curious child, she was always exploring everything around her. She had no desire to make a profit off the hard work of the citizens of the land while idling in the lap of luxury, as was expected of someone of her status. Instead, her father frequently caught her attempting to slip off into the nearby town to explore and help the workers in their daily tasks. In a rage, he would send for her mother and demanded she "talk some sense into your daughter!"

By the time Lillian was 17 years old, her mother Ann had left Edward and moved to a small house in the woods to the south. Ian apprenticed himself out to a tradesman, leaving his eldest sister alone with a man who appeared to be growing more and more controlling each day. Lillian was completely forbidden from visiting the town without supervision, and whenever her father noticed a man or boy politely conversing with or even merely glancing at her, he would become so enraged that he threatened them with a variety of punishments, from cutting out their tongues to poking their eyes out with sharp sticks. Before long, Lillian was left alone for fear of her father's temper, and while in some ways this suited her just fine, she couldn't help but wish that there would be someone like her she could converse with who didn't simply agree with her because of who she was.

Day by day the loneliness inside her grew. Her only friends were a few servants she was able to briefly converse with each day without her father's knowledge and her books. If there was one thing that Lillian loved more than helping those around her, it was the collection of books she owned. She could (and often would) spend hours poring over the literature she had acquired over the years without a second thought. Her favorite book by far was the collection of fairy tales she had grown up reading. She carried it with her on many a trip to the fields and forests surrounding their estate that it became a common sight. Her father, however, had always frowned on such things, reminding her time and again that such tales were fiction and no good would ever come from her daydreaming and whimsical, childish behavior.

The day of her 18th birthday started as every other: snow fell gently on the far hills of Neelam to the north, the sun shone bright in the southern kingdom of Kesa, the western kingdoms of Anani, Sorcha, and Luighseach went about their daily business of trade and export, while the eastern tribes of Sabba flew their kites high in the sky as part of their month-long celebrations worshiping Naseelah, the Goddess of the sea, who provided their arid lands with both rain and cool breezes during this time. In fact, nothing at the dawn of her birthday gave Lillian any notice that all was not well in the landlocked kingdom of Nirvelli, let alone something amiss in her father's small city of Irvine. And that is where our story begins…

* * *

Author's Notes:

So I know it's only the prologue, but I want to see if anyone is interested in hearing more about this. This is a pretty original fairy tale from my own messed up head, something that's not 100% based on an existing fairy tale, though I do keep the similar elements of several from time to time. I dreamed this story when I was a very young teenager (well over 15 years ago), and I've been meaning to write it down for years now. If this seems like anything else you've ever read, my apologies, but it's purely coincidental (and very highly unlikely). That being said, I don't want to be hearing from people that someone has taken my work and published it elsewhere as their own. If you want to use it, quote it, write fanfiction about my story, etc. all I ask is that you ASK. I'll give permission if you ask, but if you come in like a thief in the night and take my hard labor for your own, I won't be pleased to say the least.

Reviews make me do a happy dance, so please do! If you do so on every chapter, I'll give you a cookie!

That being said, on to Chapter 1!


	2. Chapter 1

Lilly woke early to the sound of trumpet fanfare and groaned in frustration. What part of "I want to sleep in for once" had her father not understood? It was her 18th birthday, and when her father had asked what she wanted for her birthday, she had simply replied that a few more hours of sleep would be greatly appreciated. No doubt he'd forgotten… or rather, pretend he'd forgotten. It was far more likely that he'd call for her early to inspect some fancy present that had warranted the noisy wakeup…

There was a swift knock at the door and it swung open to reveal Brunella, one of the servants. Brunella was one of the few people who would converse with her about city events. She was a year younger than Lillian, but the two of them had spent their childhood together as friends. Baron Edward had allowed their friendship to continue simply due to the small, but important, detail that Brunella's mother had been Lillian's tutor in arithmetic and geography growing up. While he had not been overly thrilled with his daughter fraternizing with someone below her in status, his wife had pointed out that she needed someone to play with her own age and that the nearest person who was on her status level was well over a day's travel away in good weather.

"Miss Lillian? Wake up, Miss Lillian- your father has insisted you get up immediately and join him in the greeting room wearing your finest," Brunella spoke as she ran over to the wardrobe and flung it open, revealing a shimmering row of freshly pressed dresses. Lillian groaned in dismay, pulling the covers over her head in protest.

"Oh Miss Lillian, you must get up!" Brunella prompted, coming to stand at the foot of the bed with her arms folded across her chest impatiently. "I know you wanted to sleep in for your birthday, but it appears the guests for the dinner-party arrived much earlier than expected, and as they're here on your behalf, you MUST make an appearance. I don't like it any more than you, but we must do what needs to be done to not tarnish your father's name."

"Oh for heaven's sake El, stop calling me Miss Lillian, it's Lilly! It drives me batty to hear you call me by my full name and with the ridiculous protocol of adding 'Miss' before it, you make yourself sound just like your mother, scolding me for not paying attention to lessons!" Lilly cried in exasperation, flinging the covers to the wood floor in front of the large oak wardrobe where her friend had stood only moments before. "And it wouldn't take much to tarnish father's name; from what I've seen and heard, he does a fair job of it himself!"

"Hush now, before someone hears you!" Brunella hissed. She tiptoed over to the door and stuck her head outside into the hallway. Satisfied that no one had been around to hear the outburst, she closed the door before turning to face a very disgruntled Lilly crawling out of bed.

"What's going on, El? Why must there be such a commotion so early in the morning?" Lilly yawned, stretching her fists to the slanted ceiling as she stood on the bare floor in her pale pink shift. "And what dinner guests are we talking about? I didn't invite anyone to celebrate with me… or at least, not guests that would require the fanfare announcement of trumpets at their arrival…" Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she slowly made her way to stand by the open wardrobe, where Brunella stood waiting, hairbrush in hand. Lilly held out her hand, waiting for the brush, but instead she found herself being forced to sit on the stool in front of the mirror while Brunella ran it through her hair quickly (and rather forcefully, to Lilly's dismay).

"Your father must have invited some of the neighboring estates to join in on the festivities," Brunella pondered as she brushed. "Perhaps Lady Esimere is among them?"

Lilly cringed. Whether it was due to the snarl that Brunella had just torn through or the mere thought of the selfish snob known as 'Lady' Esimere attempting to make herself the center of attention at _her_ birthday celebration, she was not sure. Both of them were truly painful.

"Though perhaps your father requested it to awaken you and to announce the arrival of your birthday present?" she mused on, as she absentmindedly glanced over to the open wardrobe in search of the right dress. "I do believe he has pulled such a stunt before."

Oh yes… Lilly remembered just the occasion she was referencing. It had been her 16th birthday, the last one her mother and father had spent together with her. Her father had sent Brunella to round her up at a bright and early 4:46 am (the exact time of her birth) simply to wish her happy birthday and let her know that her present had just arrived. However, she was to return to her chambers for now. She would need to wait until after her birthday dinner before she would receive it, as per tradition.

Perhaps it wouldn't have been an issue if he'd actually done this the morning _of_ her birthday, rather than the day _before_.

"At least he got the day right this time…" she muttered, shaking her head. "How he forgets that I was born three days before his own birthday is beyond me."

"It amazes me too, Miss Lillian… I mean, Lilly," Brunella corrected after seeing the glare in the mirror's reflection. Satisfied that the majority of tangles were now banished away for at least the moment, she set the brush down and moved towards the wardrobe. She hummed and hawed as she flipped through the ruffles and frills until she found one she thought would suffice. She pulled out a goldenrod colored silk damask gown, and Lilly made a face of disgust.

"Seriously, El? So not only can I _not_ dress myself, I also have no say in what I wear? That dress is the worst looking one of them all!"

"But your father picked it out for you."

" _Exactly_. He can't even properly match his waistcoat and shirt to his trousers without help, and you expect me to wear a dress that he picked? I shall look like I'm wearing curtains! I may have no real care for fashion, but if you're that concerned with me ruining Father's image, then you'll let me pick the dress." Brunella hesitated, torn between her job requirements and the logic of the presented argument. "Besides, El… I'll likely have to change it before dinner anyways, so it really doesn't matter, does it?"

"Fine," she sighed, giving in after catching Lilly's determined look. "But it's your head if he doesn't like the dress you pick…"

Lilly paused just outside the greeting room to catch her breath, having run all the way from her room two flights of stairs above. Glancing down, she brushed a few imaginary wrinkles from her dress to help calm her nerves and listened to the sound of her heart pounding in her ears slowly subside into its normal rhythm. She could hear the voices of the guests—at least two men and a woman by the sounds of it—as well as the baritone voice of her father through the door. He seemed to be in a good mood at the moment, so it seemed as good a time as any to make an entrance. Nodding to the guardsman who stood next to the door, she gathered the courage to face both her father and his guests and gracefully entered the greeting room as the door was pushed open for her.

Her father, mid-sentence, turned towards her and stopped. Lilly could feel his eyes rake over her appearance quickly, noting that she was not wearing the dress he'd requested. The beginning of a scowl was growing on his face the more he looked at the gown she'd chosen, and Lilly knew she'd hear about it later, once they were both out of the earshot of his guests. Personally, she had no idea what was wrong with the silk taffeta gown she'd chosen. It was a soft pink with clear rhinestone flowers and vines edging both the bodice and the asymmetrically draped overskirt, with a matching silk and chiffon wrap to modestly cover her would-be bare shoulders. Of course, the collar on dress her father had chosen was up to her neck and had full-length sleeves, so perhaps that was the reason for the scowl.

But before her father could say something to her about her attire, one of the guests—the woman—exclaimed, "That dress! Wherever did you get such a beautifully crafted gown? I have never seen something so simple, yet so beautiful!"

Lilly turned her head, relieved by the sudden excuse not to acknowledge her father. She'd guessed rightly on the number of guests from the voices- an man about her father's age, a woman who appeared to be roughly his age (and was most likely his wife, she reasoned), and a young man who looked to be at most 3 or 4 years her senior.

Her father cleared his throat loudly, forcing everyone's attention back on him momentarily. Shooting her a quick look of annoyance, he proceeded to introduce his guests as a prosperous family of nobles from the small country of Anani. Her father went on briefly to preach to her about their rank in society there, and some other things about the family's status being vital to the economy in both Nirvelli and Anani, but in truth, Lilly had stopped paying attention after hearing the phrase "wealthy nobles" pass his lips. She'd almost sighed then, realizing that they were likely here to negotiate a trade agreement of sorts or some other political matter, but she didn't want to appear rude to the guests. So she'd instead opted to appear as if she were hanging on to her father's every word, nodding at what seemed like appropriate intervals.

Her father paused to catch his breath momentarily, and Lillian took the break to turn towards her guests. Lord Raymond was standing completely straight and still, looking rather comfortable in his riding uniform despite the strict posture he adhered to. It was his tense look yet ease of face that led her to believe that he had worked with Anani's military at some point in his life.

Lady Ann was watching her closely, and they both smiled slightly as their eyes met. Recalling the comment concerning her dress when she'd first arrived, she politely informed her that she had made the dress herself. Her mother had taught her many tricks with needle and thread before she had moved out, since her mother had made most of her clothes growing up, but she kept that to herself, for fear of what her father would do or say at the mention of his ex-wife.

As Lady Ann turned to say something to her husband, Lilly glanced at Lord Michael. Unlike his parents, he did not appear to be overly pleased about seeing her, and even made a point to resist her attempts at eye contact. Resisting the urge to sport a frown similar to his, she suddenly wondered why he was even there in the first place. It was obvious he had no interest in whatever negotiation was going on, which made her curious to his presence. Had he been dragged along for the ride? And if that was indeed the case, why was he so obviously upset at seeing her?

One possible reason came to her suddenly, and her knees buckled from underneath her at just the mere thought of it. Certainly her father hadn't… no, he wouldn't have done something so rash as to arrange marriage for her with someone she'd never even met until this moment! He'd always threatened to marry her off whenever she did anything he didn't approve of, but surely he wasn't serious…

The guardsman who'd been standing outside of the door came rushing in at the sound of Lady Ann's slight shriek. The next thing Lilly knew, he was helping her to her feet and she was muttering apologies to everyone.

"I… I'm terribly sorry… it appears I'm not used to being up so early…" she stammered, leaning on the guard slightly and looking to both her father and the Ananian guests. A look of relief washed over everyone, though her father, she noted, was still sporting a slight frown when he was sure no one but her was looking at him.

"Perhaps you should go back to bed then," Lord Michael simply remarked, not even bothering to look away from the windows as he spoke. "It wouldn't do to collapse at your own dinner party…"

Lilly caught the glare directed towards his back from his own mother. Lady Ann was scowling slightly at his tone, obviously upset at the lack of respect he was showing. But to Lilly's amazement, her father actually agreed with the young lord, telling her to return to her bedroom until she was summoned for the dinner banquet. She did not fail to notice his wording, which meant that she was to stay in her room… likely his idea of punishment for wearing the dress she'd chosen. Lilly didn't mind one bit. There were books she could read, but it was far more likely that she'd be trying to figure out the real reason for the Ananian family's visit.

Bowing slightly to both father and guests, she all but fled from the room.

* * *

Author's Note:

So we've met Lilly, her father, and the Van Anani family! Just what poor, tired birthday girl wanted to do at the crack of dawn... Lilly's not a morning person, in case you couldn't guess. Her father, however, is one of those that will burn the candle from both ends, as they saying goes. A I remember those days back in college when I'd stay up super late (early) and then get up for my 8am classes. Add random bouts of insomnia, and...

Whoops. Almost went on a tangent there.

So I'd like to introduce the Van Anani family a bit more and give them some background. Lady Anne Van Anani is independent, resourceful, and strong willed. She is easy to get along with... as long as she likes you. She holds a grudge like nothing else, and if you get on her bad side, it'll take a laundry list of good deeds before she'll even think of forgiving you. She's also impeccably stubborn. Lord Irvine is too, which is likely the only reason this long-distance treaty negotiation has even held up for the past several years.

Lord Raymond Van Anani did indeed gain his gait from working with the Ananian Military... though not as an enlisted man. He was hired directly upon graduating from the Academy for his ingenuity, sharp wit, and cleverness with mechanical engineering. Having worked with them for a fair amount of years, he saved his wealth to start his own production company on the side. Eventually he retired from the position to settle down and start a family with his Academy sweetheart, though he kept the manufacturing business for a steady source of income. So impressed with his quality work, the Army itself continues to purchase his weaponry and other products, making the raw iron found in the mountains just north of Whitewater Keep very valuable. In exchange for the raw Iron, he promises Lord Irvine imported Ananian silk, which is worth its weight in gold in Nirvelli.

As for Lord Michael... I'll let you see what he's like next chapter.

Reviews are the thunderstorms to my drought. I appreciate any rain you bring. ^_^


	3. Chapter 2

A knock at her bedroom door told Lillian it was nearly time for dinner, though after hours of contemplation, she really had no desire to go. It wasn't the meal she feared, but what would come after it was not something to be taken lightly. Her father would likely remain civil for the dining portion of the evening, but after the food was cleared, it was anyone's guess what would happen.

The door slowly inched open, and a voice she had not expected to hear at all that day softly called out her name. Her eyes wide in shock, she scrambled over the bed where she'd been sitting and practically ran to the door. She opened it the rest of the way and flung herself into the unsuspecting arms of her mother.

"Lilly!" Ann gasped, stumbling backwards in surprise.

"Mom! Please tell me he didn't!" she pleaded, dragging her into her room and settling her mother down on the edge of her bed. Not wanting to be overheard, she shut the door before spinning around to face her flustered parent. Settling onto the bed beside her, she took her mother's hands in hers and squeezed them once to show she was nervous.

"Didn't what, exactly?" Ann asked, confusion written on her face as her daughter pulled away slightly to gaze into her eyes.

"I'm not to marry that boorish brat of a man from Anani, am I? Please tell me it isn't that…"

"I-"

There was a knock at the door, and both mother and daughter jumped slightly.

"Y-yes?" Lilly called, slightly flustered at the interruption. She'd expected to at least have a few moments alone with her mother before they summoned her to dinner. The door slowly swung open to reveal one of her personal guards, Jordain. Yes, she thought to herself with a cringe. Her father wasn't taking any chances that she would attempt to skip the meal.

"My lady? Dinner is about to..." Jordain trailed off at the sight of the other occupant in the room. "Oh! Lady Ann! I had not been aware that you had arrived! May I escort you both to the dining hall for the banquet?"

"Of course," Ann responded, standing quickly. Almost too quickly, Lilly noted, as if she couldn't wait to escape... or to rush through seeing her ex-husband again. Her later birthdays always seemed awkward and tense ever since they separated, so she would normally easily dismiss her mother's tension. But the presence of the guard stopped her from questioning her mother about it, and the last thing she needed was word getting back to her father that she was looking to thwart his attempts at a marriage, if that truly was his intent. The guards were only loyal to her to a point. Her father was the one who paid their salary, so if he demanded to know something she had asked them to keep to themselves they were likely to tell him.

Not even bothering to check herself in the full length mirror, Lilly strode out of her room after her mother. Despite her desire to further defy her father, she'd decided to change into the new dress El had brought in for her when she came to collect the remnants of Lilly's small lunch. At least this one wasn't reminiscent of upholstery.

Indeed, this blue gown was surprisingly slender and was so unlike the usual style that she fell in love with it immediately. It moved with her, wasn't bulky in the shoulders or so long that she feared falling flat on her face as she walked. What astonished her most was that the dress was elegant and practical, something she'd thought impossible in noble-made dresses. No extra fluff, frills, stones or lace, but a lovely deep blue satin covered in a sheen material that made it seem as rippling water when she moved. She wondered where the dress had come from, as she'd never seen anything similar on anyone before, not even her guests. And the light, see-through material seemed so foreign and unnatural, she did not recognize it.

Still deep in thought about her new gown, she was startled when she heard the herald announce their arrival and the door swung open from the great hall to the ballroom. Music from minstrels drifted over them from a far recess, likely one of the upper balconies, as she could not see them on the main floor. The ballroom was sectioned off into three parts, one for eating, one for dancing, and one for gifts, the last being something Lilly frowned at. It was rather pretentious, having the gifts being the closest to the door. It screamed "no gift, no admittance" to her, yet another something her father and she had never agreed on. It was HER birthday. If she wanted to invite the common people from the village, why should they be expected to bring her a gift just to attend?

She did her best not to scowl openly, as her wandering eyes took in the lack of anyone even remotely noble seated at the dining table. Yet another birthday surrounded by pompous pretenders who only cared to flaunt themselves to stroke their own egos. She found herself ushered to the head table, where she was seated on her father's left. Her mother settled into a chair on her left. Looking across the large oak table, she found the spoiled brat she'd been forced to put up with had been given the seat directly across from her, his parents on either side. Rather than meet her eyes, he kept drowning himself with the mead being offered by passing servants.

'Let him drink himself silly,' she thought. 'Perhaps when father sees how much of an arrogant drunkard he really is, he'll reconsider any threat to marry me off to him.'

The first course arrived with fanfare and extravagance, but was primarily an ingredient she did not like, so she found herself simply pushing much of it aside to eat a few bites here and there. The second course soon followed, and then the third. All were primarily made of the one item she'd hoped by now her father would have noticed she could and would not eat, as mushrooms upset her stomach. But after mushroom and onion kabobs, kahea and mushroom salad and a cream of mushroom soup, her hopes for the main course weren't very high. If she'd managed more than 3 fork fulls, she was lucky.

"I take it you Irvinians love your fungi." Lilly looked up to see Lord Michael dripping the soup off of his spoon and letting it splash back down in boredom. "I suppose it's no surprise, really. Everything is so quaint and dull here, it must grow on everything as it stands still. Though one should hope you'd have hired cooks who had learned to properly season it in your dishes… this soup is rather bland and tasteless."

Choosing to ignore his rude comments, and biting back a sharp retort about how wonderful their head cook was when he had a choice in the menu, she simply focused her attention back on her plate. As she continued to play with her soup, she noticed Lady Anne Van Anani shoot a very unpleasant look towards her misbehaving son, who merely ignored a glance that would have made the average person quake in their boots. Resisting the urge to smile, she watched beneath her eyelids as his mother turned back to the Duke of Laketown and his wife. Lilly found she didn't mind listening to them as the three discussed the projected short harvest of cotton and the likely price spike on cloth prices.

Moments later, Lilly felt a kick under the table, and she glanced back in annoyance. The near-drunken pig had apparently felt the need to grab her attention, and was almost leering at her from across the table. Oh, how she was glad she wasn't sitting next to him, where he could attempt to grope her. Disgusted, she kicked him back and he yelped, earning the looks of everyone around him. Eventually everyone went back to their meals and conversations, leaving the two of them in peace.

"For as fat as you are, you certainly don't eat much," he hissed in annoyance, just loud enough for her to hear it above the general clamor of dinner. Suddenly she wished he was a bit closer so she could ram her knife in his throat so he wouldn't be able to speak to her anymore. She glared at him in silent rage, not trusting herself to say anything to him. Eventually he turned his attention back to playing with his soup, and Lilly found she was very thankful that she'd never have to see him after her party.

The final course, roasted lamb with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, finally made its way to the table, but by that point, Lilly had lost her appetite. She didn't even bother pretending to eat the gravy covered plate this time, pushing it away nearly a minute after it had been set in front of her. When the servant came back around to collect empty dishes, he frowned at her plate. Smiling softly, she leaned in and told him to help himself if he liked, as she'd rather it not go to waste. Returning a small grin, he nodded before inclining his head in respect and made his withdraw. A raised eyebrow from her table neighbor was the only comment she received, for which she was grateful. She had no desire to hear any more rude comments that night.

If Lilly had been looking forward to any part of her dinner after the soup, it was the dessert. While her father may have had mushrooms as the main focus of each of their plates, there was no possible way he could slip them into dessert. Indeed, when plates of strawberry cobbler were presented from the kitchens on large serving platters, Lilly could hardly contain her glee. Her eyes lit up as the serving boy who had taken away her dinner plate set before her not one, but two of the desserts.

"Blissful Birthday wishes from the chef, Miss Lillian," he whispered as he bowed his head slightly in respect. "He will also be sending you a proper dinner to your room when you retire, one more fitting to your tastes." Grinning from ear to ear at how she perked right up, the lad backed away, hastily bowed, and continued to serve others further along the table.

"So you simply live on sweets. That finally explains your composition with some level of satisfaction." The statement was so softly spoken that at first she thought she'd been imagining his continued insults. But the sudden reddening of the Lady Anani's face proved otherwise.

"Michael, watch your tongue!" his mother hissed in a low voice, turning to scowl at him. "Those are not comments you make to a young lady, let alone someone of a family we are about to enter into a treaty with!"

"Stuff you and your confounded treaty," he spat. "I will not be a chess piece in your little trade games, mother, like you sought to make Jazeth."

"That was different!" her voice raising slightly in frustration. Lady Anne glanced around quickly to see if anyone had turned towards them, having overheard their argument, but if anyone else noticed, they acted that they hadn't. Indeed, to any onlooker, it appeared Lilly was currently savoring her dessert and had no other care in the world. "He needed direction in his life," Lady Anne continued in a hushed voice. "And a push in the right direction, as it was clear he had no ambition himself, except in discovery of himself! And do not bring him up again, for you know how angry I am with him for abandoning his duty. His arrogance nearly cost us years of hard work and connections! Do you have any idea how much convincing it took for Lord Irvine to not turn us away at his front gates? We need this agreement between our nations, or your father's business will fail. Jazeth had no love of duty, and by leaving he showed he cared little of the repercussions of his selfish actions."

"Perhaps he had the right of it then," her son growled back. "I have no wish to be here a moment longer in this God-forsaken land, let alone a go-between trader stuck traveling between Anani and this cursed land for a good portion of my life."

"You will, if you wish to remain my heir," Lord Raymond grumbled so softly that Lilly nearly didn't catch it, though the warning in his voice was enough to stand her neck hairs on end. "You forget your place, and though you are still new to it, that should be no excuse for your behavior. Now, you will heckle your mother and me no longer, or you shall be removed from the Ananian estates upon our return, and another will be found to take your place."

Lilly, who did her best to make it seem as if she had not been listening, took this moment to swallow a gulp of wine to mask her smile. A go-between, he had said. It appeared that the treaty had been related to trade after all, and not about marriage. With that weight off her mind, she found herself relaxing and even enjoying the last few bites her dessert. The light flakey crust of the cobbler seemed to be as weightless as her previous concerns.

Glancing at the scowling young man across from her, she couldn't help but grin into her drink again at the sight of the nasty face he was making in his father's direction. As petty as it might seem, she seemed to bask in the knowledge that her dinner pest had been dealt with. She had to admit it was good, seeing the arrogant Lord Michael put in his place. Though if she didn't know any better, it would seem that the young pup looked ready to one-two his father in anger. Thankfully for all at the table, however, their little family spat had gone unnoticed to all but her and, instead of causing a further scene, Lord Michael simply called for his cup to be refilled.

After desserts had been polished away and the plates cleared, her father rose from his chair, jeweled cup in hand, to thank everyone for coming to the feast and offer a toast to her health. Lilly barely paid it any attention each year, and this was no exception. What irked her most was that while most people present had the decency to at least pretend to be interested, Lord Michael seemed to be more preoccupied with swirling his own backwash around in the bottom of his cup before reaching out and stopping a passing servant so he could have it refilled. His repeated motions caught the awareness of his mother, who shot him yet another disapproving glare, but this seemed to goad his behavior on even more. Unable to watch anymore, she rolled her eyes and focused back on her father's speech.

"…and so even though Lord Jazeth has shirked his sworn duty as firstborn, the ever-wise Lord and Lady van Anani have offered their younger son, Lord Michael, as a suitable replacement as trade master. He will be given full control over bargaining for his nation's much needed resources in developing weaponry and defense mechanisms," he proclaimed, gesturing to the young Lord in his chair, who choked on his beverage at suddenly being made the center of attention.

'Serves him right,' Lilly thought, lifting her gloved hand to elegantly cover her growing smile. Suddenly she noticed that the gazes of the gathered party had shifted from him to her and she froze, her level of comfort plummeting to the floor. Why was everyone staring at her? Had she accidently made a faux pas while watching his royal pain-in-the-arse make a fool of himself?

Turning to her mother with a look of confusion, she saw her mother smiling at her fondly. "So you are okay with it after all? He makes you smile, so there must be some level of respect and interest between you both. It's settled then." Her mother nodded to Lord Raymond and Lady Ann in agreement. "We accept."

"Okay with what? What's settled?" Lilly asked, her feelings of relief plummeting to the floor below and beyond. A sickeningly coy voice whispered the answer, but she blocked it out, certain she did not want to hear it spoken out loud. It couldn't be right. Hadn't she just heard proof that what she feared was not the case only minutes before? "What do you accept?"

"Why, your engagement and marriage to the Lord Michael van Anani, of course," her father cut in, and her face noticeably paled, her stomach clenched in knots. "To be held one year from today at the Dar'na Chapel, after which you will be sent with a new staff and guard to the Anani estates to assist you as you run your husband's household while he is away with the caravans, serving as trade master. It is a great honor, Lillian, and I'm sure as he matures he will be a better husband to you than any other suitor in our lands, let alone the irresponsible coward who-"

"NO!" Lilly cried out, shoving her chair backwards and springing to her feet. Her eyes wide, she found she could no longer breathe normally. Everything seemed to be closing in on her, and she suddenly felt the urge to flee to safety. But would she really be safe anywhere in the castle? Was there anywhere she could go to escape this dreadful marriage? Why had her parents done this to her? Her father she could see, but her mother? How could her mother do this, knowing what sort of person she was?

"Lillian!" her mother chided, her face scarlet red in embarrassment. "Behave yourself! This is not how a young lady acts. You should know better."

Suddenly Lilly wondered if her mother even knew her at all.

Turning away from it all—the table, the party, her parents, her future husband—she turned and fled, refusing to let the pain of her family's betrayal show until she'd reached the safety and solidarity of her room. ANYONE but that… that… _monster_ she'd been introduced to this day. As she ran through the gates, a familiar voice drifted out after her… a voice she wished never to hear again.

"If she tries anything so disrespectful towards me once we're married, I won't hesitate to put her in her place by whatever means necessary, as is my right."

* * *

Author's Note:

Dun dun dun….

So… now you've met Michael…

And I'll let you tell me what you think of him now. And what you think Lilly should do when they're wed next year. I've got a few dastardly thoughts on that subject, but I'll let you, the reader, shed some light on the issue before I post the next chapter.

With every review, I solemnly swear to be up to no good when I write the next chapter.


	4. Chapter 3

Once Lilly had escaped from her party to her room and braced the door with a chair to prevent anyone from entering, she settled down in misery on her bed. Clutching a soft goose-down pillow to her chest, she wept for what seemed like hours without end, her heart breaking at the betrayal of her parents. Her mother had promised her when she was young that since they were but a minor land, she would have her own choice and say in her eventual spouse. Her father had known of it, and often chided his wife for encouraging her daughter's willfulness, but had never said any word to the contrary that might lead Lilly to believe otherwise, except in threat.

When she found she could cry no more, she sat up and glanced around her room. It seemed as if her childhood was over and that once-loved elements from that childhood, like her plush toy cat and her books of children tales, mocked her where they stood. Grabbing her pillow, she threw it at the bookcase in rage, sending books cascading down to the floor.

The last words of Lord Michael came back to her and she shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself in a feeble attempt at self-comfort. It was his _right_ to put her in her place?! How could her parents think that he was a suitable match for her, let alone anyone?! Had they not heard his words as she left? Had his parents? Were they all so desperate to have what they wanted that they would get it by any means?

A knock at the door brought her back from reliving the dinner she'd just endured. Unwilling to speak to anyone, let alone remove the chair, she simply let them knock again and again, until a soft male voice carried through the wooden door.

"Milady, are you within?" came the soft voice of Jonal, one of the cook's assistants, and she nearly smiled. Jonal had been one of the newest hires at the Whitewater Keep. The son of local hunters, he'd been orphaned after his parents had both died of The White Death that past winter. Jonal had also been ill but had managed to overcome it, only to find himself without the means to live at the tender age of 9. A young seamstress in the village who loved him like a brother had approached her about finding him a job, and she had set about finding a place for him in the Keep. It turned out the young boy had an excellent palate, and the cook rejoiced in finding a competent assistant. Since then, Jonal (and the cook) had gone out of his way to make sure she lacked nothing in way of food from the kitchen.

"Mikhail came down and informed me you left the dinner party, and I figured I'd bring you a proper meal." When Lilly did not answer immediately, he tried again, this trying to humor her into responding. "I swear to you this meal has not gone within 5 yards of a mushroom."

Even though she'd been expecting such tactics from him, Lilly laughed, and then slapped her hand over her mouth. So much for pretending she wasn't in here. She heard him snort, and try the handle to enter the room with the meal. It turned, but the chair still impeded it from opening into her room.

"Please, milady… you really shouldn't starve yourself. No one wants to see you get sick because you refused to eat, especially on your birthday."

"I'm sorry," she called though the closed door from the end of her bed. "I do not feel well, and I fear even the best food in the world would be wasted on me right now. Please see that someone else is served that meal. I'd hate for your hard work to go to waste, Jonal."

"Milady…" but he trailed off, unable to find words to express his concern. After a few minutes of awkward silence between the two, there was a dull thud of something on the wooden floor outside before she heard him walking down the creaking staircase.

Waiting a few minutes in silence, she slid off the bed and moved the chair from the door back to her writing desk. Slowly opening the heavy wooden door, she peered down at the small tray of food Jonal had insisted on leaving for her. The lovely scent of herb roasted chicken, garlic potatoes, and steamed oiwen, her favorite leafy green vegetable, rising from the food made her stomach growl. Sighing, she opened the door and picked up the tray. Jonal had probably trusted that the smell of her favorite meal would have roused her hunger. She might as well eat it before it got cold.

Closing the door behind her with the rather non-elegant movement of a kicked leg, she placed the tray on the desk, settled into the chair and began to eat. As she enjoyed bite after bite, her sour mood lessened to where she felt compelled to examine the entire situation. It was obvious that her father had insisted on this marriage because he stood to gain much from the trade caravans. They would become a trading hub for the surrounding keeps, and taxes would increase not only on the imported goods being traded, but visitors would spend more money in town. Logically, it had been a very smart move for both the keep treasury and the welfare of the common folk. Simply put, all her father had done was trade away one of the last bargaining chips that he'd had left, one that eventually would have needed to leave here anyway, and gain so much more than Lord Irvine had ever dreamed of receiving in exchange.

However, Lilly refused to view herself as simply a good or product to be traded away. She was her own person who had a good head on her shoulders and was valued in helping run the estate here after her mother had left. But more than that, she was his daughter. Did she honestly mean so little that he could throw her at the first person who offered a fortune for her, regardless of how ill-mannered her future husband would be?

The betrayal of from her father had been bad enough, but her mother had been another fish entirely. Lilly still couldn't wrap her head around what her mother had done to their lifelong friendship. Her mother had been someone she could go to about anything on her mind. She had been someone Lilly had revered and trusted with anything and everything. Her mother had known of her desire to have adventures outside of the safety of Whitewater Keep, to explore the unknown, discover the hidden treasures of the wide, vast world. How had she ever thought that locking her daughter, who was filled with wanderlust, down in an unknown land as the caretaker of a foreign estate would ever be something she would ever be happy with?

The door swung open with a bang, and Lilly froze in surprise, one of the last bites of her meal hanging from the fork that was suspended in front of her open mouth. Her father, Lord Irvine, stormed in, accompanied by several knights.

"What in blasted hells do you think you are doing, girl?!" he roared, causing her to stumble out of her chair and bow her head to look at her feet. He always seemed to elicit this response from others when he confronted her enraged. She'd discovered, just as many of the servants had, that looking him in the face only made things worse.

"Do you have any idea what you almost did?!" he raged, grabbing her chair and throwing it over her head to smash against the wall behind her. She yelped and tried to scamper away, but he grabbed her arm and forced her to remain where she was. "It took me years to negotiate that deal with the Anani's and you took it and spat on it! You acted like a spoiled brat in front of your future husband and in-laws, embarrassing both me and the entirety of Whitewater Keep! You have no idea how difficult it was to convince them that your improper attitude would not continue henceforth."

Growing bold, even though she knew there would be repercussions, she looked up to glare at her father.

" _My_ behavior caused embarrassment?" she cried out. "What of that Ananian pig you're insisting I marry? An obviously spoiled child who spent all of dinner getting drunk and belligerent, spitting out rude comments and insulting everyone from the staff to your own daughter? What gives him the right to come storming in here like he owns the place and can treat others with such intense distain and disrespect?"

"This is a man's world, Lilly. It's about time you learned your place in it." He snorted, and she stumbled back, feeling as if she'd been slapped. "I have given you everything I could, and it has never been enough. I gave you free range of the keep. I gave you control of the household. I provided you with all that you could ever want and showered you with extravagant birthday gifts, like the dress of Ananian silk you are currently wearing. The more freedom I give you, the more you expect! The world does not work like that outside of Whitewater Keep."

Lilly rarely lost her temper like her father, but she could no longer keep her anger bottled up inside her. "You did not give me freedom! You gave me a cage and put pretty things in it, hoping to keep me occupied! I am not an animal to be kept in that cage and then paraded out and shown to people when it profits you!"

"You really don't get it, do you," Lord Irvine fumed. "Because of your impudence, the Lord Anani has demanded you be married to his son tomorrow instead of waiting the usual year, for fear of us backing out of our agreement!"

"NO!" she screamed at him. "I will not marry him!

"You have no choice! It will happen tomorrow, with you willing or not! And it is not only you who has to pay for your outburst today! I will have to tax the people thrice what I'd previously stated in order to pay for your dowry immediately. I had intended to make you a hero in the eyes of the people you've cherished, but I will not be blamed for your actions today! The people shall know that it is because of _your_ brazenness that their taxes have increased! How many of them will starve this winter because they won't be able to afford food and fuel to heat their homes? They will curse your name with their dying breath, and you have only yourself to blame!"

Her eyes wide in astonishment at his unusually high level of cruelty, she was only dimly aware of her father storming out of her room, demanding that guards be set at her door until the ceremony tomorrow and that she would not receive any meals until the wedding feast the following night as punishment. The door slammed shut and she heard the click of the metallic lock being set from the outside. The full weight of his words hit her and she sobbed.

She was now a prisoner in her own room until her last hope for a better life died the next morning with the words "With this ring, I thee wed."

Author's notes:

Ha, I bet you guys didn't see THAT coming. We've gotten a better look at just how precious Lord Irvine's reputation is to him, and how he sort of expects everyone to feel the same way… though his reaction of punishment for Lillian certainly seems extreme. I'm sort of curious to know what you all think Lilly should do about her situation. Certainly marriage to Lord Michael will be anything but pleasant, but his parents didn't seem that bad… right? But then again, they raised him and allowed him to become the… ahem… lovely person he is now, so… maybe marrying into the Ananian family is going to be the hell it promises to be.

On a happier note (and still speaking of marriage), I recently got married to the love of my life and best friend. He is my proofreader, my confidant, and the second biggest critic (I'm first) with this story. This story means a lot to the two of us (okay, more so to me… I think he just humors me), so the plan is to get back to this story with real vigor.

Because of this, I have decided to make sure I write more for my New Year's Resolution. That being said, it is my goal to have this story not only updated more frequently, but to see it to completion by the end of this year. Considering we haven't even introduced one of the most important characters yet, we have a long way to go. But this person will become a major factor in how Lilly's future is shaped. So hold out hope, people!

On to Chapter 4!


	5. Chapter 4

The red eyed, bleary face of a young woman who had spent most of the night in tears stared back at her silently in the mirror as Brunella combed and styled her hair, fitting the bridal veil into the intricate up-do. A few moments later and she applied a heavy cream to hide the dark circles under Lilly's eyes. Nodding, she smiled and quickly tossing the sheer material over her face.

"There. It doesn't do to have you looking so ghastly when you're about to be married, Miss Lillian." Lilly didn't even have the voice or energy to correct her about the name. "Oh, I saw him in the hallway when he was being shown to his room last night. He is quite a looker, if I do say so myself. You're so lucky to have such an impressive and fit young man for a husband."

"El," she croaked out, cleared her throat, and tried again. "El, really. If you had only been at the dinner party last night, you wouldn't say such cruel things to me."

"Oh, Miss Lillian, don't be so hard on him. I know you wanted to marry for love, and who knows? Maybe he will be the one to sweep you off your feet and you'll be perfectly happy to have his kids an-"

"Brunella! Enough!"

There was a tense silence in the room for a moment before her childhood friend whispered a meek, "Yes, milady…" Lilly felt awful for snapping at her, but before she had a moment to apologize, the village seamstress bustled into the room, pins and measuring tape in hand. In a flurry of limbs, she quickly re-measured her again for the fourth time before insisting the dress would definitely fit her like a glove. After what felt like an eternity of being treated like a dress-up doll, she was standing in front of the full length mirror, surrounded by the oohs and ahhs of the staff who had helped her dress.

The dress in question was a tight-fitting collared dress that pinched her in all the wrong places and was dreadfully uncomfortable. When she complained to the seamstress about how uncomfortable it was to wear, the response she got back from her was anything but appealing.

"Then you will certainly be looking forward to shedding your clothing for your husband tonight!"

Lillian turned a deep shade of red.

The next few moments were a blur of people dragging her to and fro for different things, and when she looked around her again, she was standing outside the chapel with her father, the two of them surprisingly alone. Looking incredibly agitated, he turned to her and whispered, "Don't you dare do anything to make this whole situation worse, or you'll come to regret it."

Biting back her response of "What could possibly be worse than marrying the man I am being forced to marry," Lilly chose to remain silent. Taking it as a sign of compliance and resignation, her father took her arm and walked her through the double doors. The music that the minstrels were playing inside was loud and repetitive without much imagination, and Lilly wondered briefly who had chosen such a bland song to send her to meet her future husband. Catching sight of him sneering at her from beside the priest, she stumbled and nearly tripped over the edge of her gown. Only a determined Lord Edward Irvine kept her upright.

The blaring of a trumpet announced her arrival beside her intended and the priest, and as her father moved away to stand beside his ex-wife, to Lilly's surprise, the flaming pillar had already been lit to celebrate the marriage. Usually this was only done once both had spoken their vows. She did not know if this was some Ananian custom she was unaware of, but the priest seemed unconcerned with the change. Beckoning them both forward, he motioned for them to take each other's hands. Lord Michael's hands were rough and his grip on her tightened around her wrists to the point of pain.

"You will not escape me this time, little witch," he hissed softly as she squirmed under his grip. "You will be mine, and I will make you suffer for everything that I am being punished for."

Gritting her teeth to keep from yelping in pain, she was glad for the veil that covered her bloodshot eyes as more tears leaked and trickled down her cheeks. The priest moved away from the couple as a servant moved a thick, heavy book to the altar. Hoping to use this distraction and desperate to get away from Lord Michael, she kicked out her dress and moved to kick him somewhere a polite lady would never kick a man, let alone a ranking Lord from another country who was about to become her husband. Unfortunately, her foot got tangled in the layers of her dress, and she nearly came crashing down upon him. He dragged her to her knees in front of the altar with a wrenching movement, knelt beside her so they were facing the now reading priest. A seething Lord Michael glared at her before leaning in to whisper in her ear.

"Try it again. I dare you," he muttered. "If you do not behave, I cannot guarantee the safety of the people you love."

Her eyes widened in panic, and she turned her veiled head to look back at where her parents were sitting, surrounded by Ananian guardsmen. Her mother looked on with a blank expression, and Lilly didn't know what to think. Her father caught her eye and gave her a look that clearly commanded her to look back at the priest and not cause any more trouble. Lord Michael reached down and took her wrist and squeezed, returning her attention back to the ceremony.

Lilly found she was unfamiliar with the ceremony the priest was reading, and she prayed that an opportunity would present itself to speak her rejection of the jerk currently digging his nails sadistically into her flesh. Consequences be cursed, but she would rather die alone and abandoned in the wilderness than live the rest of her life chained to this man. After nearly an hour of readings concerning the duties of a wife to her husband and the promise of faithfulness of a husband to a devoted wife, the priest had them stand again and face each other. For the first time Lilly was able to glance down at her arm and found herself shocked to see the droplets of blood that were staining the edges of the long, white sleeve of her dress.

"Lord Michael, do you have the ring?"

Both startled and relieved when she felt his grip leave her hands, she watched in frozen terror as the man she both feared and loathed reached into his inner coat pocket and produced a shiny gold ring. Finally, this was a part of the ceremony she recognized! She would speak her vows, he would be asked to speak his, they would kiss, and they would be wedded. All she would have to do would refuse her part and the ceremony would be invalid.

"Lord Michael? You may now profess your vows as you place your ring on your bride's finger as a testament to your devotion to her. "

Wait, what? That wasn't how the ceremony was supposed to go! Where were her vows to be spoken? Had the priest forgotten how the ceremony was supposed to read, despite having the book in front of him? Lillian tried to jerk her hand away as the ring touched the tip of her ring finger, but the pressure on her wrist had returned and kept her trembling hands available for him as he fully slipped the band on her finger.

"Behold, with this ring I take thee as my lawful wife. You are bound to me and I am bound to you. Forever shall you be mine, and I shall see your faithfulness and obedience repaid with honesty, faithfulness, and sincerity."

And in a whirl of motion, Lord Michael tossed back her veil and slammed his lips on hers with the force of an earth-shattering quake. Lilly found her first kiss to be rough and frankly disgusting, with lots of saliva and the forcing of his tongue into her mouth in a most unappealing way. Angered, she forced her teeth down on the trespasser, and the yelp he squealed out reminded her of a wild swine. There was a flash of movement and then she found herself unable to see, a blinding pain in her head causing her vision turn to darkness, a loud ringing echoing in her ears.

"You deceitful whore! Bow before your husband and master! You are my property and you will kneel before me in supplication for your cheek! Your place before me is on your knees, and I will see to it you learn to show me the proper respect!"

Still swimming in darkness, she vaguely wondered why no one was coming to her aid. Could she not hear anyone because something had happened to her ears? She could feel his hands wrapping themselves around her neck and tearing away the buttons around the front of her collar, the dress being torn away from her and she cried out, reaching around herself to hug the material to her.

"NO!"

* * *

So… umm… yeah. So that's a thing…? Don't really have words for this one, other than that I think it's safe to say that if you all thought there was something redeemable about Lord Michael, I doubt you do now. So the only question now is what happens next? Who was it that screamed "no" at the end? What will happen to Lilly now that she's officially trapped in this marriage with such horrible person? Tell me what you think in a review, and I shall return your kindness with cookies. It's Monday and I'm at work (I currently work at a pastry shop). And no one's going to show to take home donations tonight, so I'll have plenty to share after we close tonight. But I'll need your reviews as writers food in exchange. =)

Also, for those of you who are interested in Spirited Away fanfiction, I think I've finally decided to write a sequel to my standalone piece from several years ago… so feel free to check it out.


End file.
